Personal Requests During the Amida Prayer

Question: May one add one’s own personal requests into the Amida prayer? What is the correct custom regarding this matter?

Answer: Our Sages (Berachot 34a) discuss whether or not one may add personal requests into one’s Amida prayer and said, as follows: “One may never ask for one’s personal needs during either the first three blessings or the last three blessings of the Amida.” This means that personal requests may not be inserted into either the first three or the last three blessings of the Amida. However, one may add one’s personal requests into any of the other blessings of the Amida when it relates to the context of that specific blessing. The Tur and Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch (Chapter 112) rule accordingly.

The reason why may not ask for any personal requests during the first or last three blessings of the Amida is because these blessings are meant as praise to Hashem or requests for the entire Jewish nation’s needs which is also included in the praises of Hashem. Indeed, when one comes before a king to request something, one must begin by speaking the praises of the king and only then can one ask for one’s request. Thus, we begin the Amida prayer by praising Hashem in the first three blessings. It is certainly not appropriate to insert personal requests while praising the King. Similarly, during the last three blessings which are meant as praise to Hashem through requesting certain things for the entire Jewish nation, i.e. that Hashem accept their prayers and service, that He accept our praise and thanks, and that Hashem bestow peace upon us, it is likewise inappropriate to insert any personal requests at this time.

Nevertheless, according to the letter of the law, one may add personal requests during the other blessings which make up the Amida prayer based on the subject matter of that specific blessing: For instance, during the “Hashivenu” blessing, one may request that Hashem help him to repent fully, during the “Refa’enu” blessing, one may request that Hashem heal an individual who is ill, and during the “Barechenu” blessing, one may pray for one’s livelihood. During the “Shema Kolenu” blessing, one may request anything one needs, for this blessing includes all prayers. Similarly, one may request anything one needs after reciting the “Yihyu Le’Ratzon” verse.

The proper way to insert a personal request into the blessings of the Amida is by first reciting the blessing until just before the conclusion of the blessing, insert one’s personal request, and then proceed to conclude the blessing. For instance, one should begin reciting the “Refa’enu” blessing until one reaches the words “Ve’Ha’aleh Arucha U’Marpeh Le’Chol Tachalu’enu Ulchol Mach’ovenu Ulchol Makotenu,” one should then insert a prayer for one to heal the ill individual, and only then should one proceed to conclude the blessing with the words “Ki El Rofeh Rahman Ve’Ne’eman AtaBaruch Ata Hashem Rofeh Holeh Amo Yisrael.”

Nevertheless, one should take care not to carry on lengthily with one’s personal requests during the Amida prayer so that one does not, G-d-forbid, say meaningless or improper things while praying; rather, one should take care to ask for one’s requests in a precise, eloquent, and concise manner.

We must point out that Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l would advise individuals who were ill and came to request his blessing that the most preferable part of the Amida prayer to pray for them is within the “Refa’enu” blessing as opposed to the “Shema Kolenu” blessing.

Devarim Rabbah – Sefaria

When a fool comes into the study hall and sees everyone busy learning, he asks, “How does a person start learning Torah?” They tell him: “First he learns to read. Then he studies the Five Books of Moses, then the Prophets, then the rest of the written Torah, then he goes on to the Oral Torah, the Talmud, the laws and the aggada.” The fool says, “When will I ever learn all this?” and he runs away. But the wise man studies a chapter a day until he completes the entire Torah. (Midrash Rabba Devarim 8:3)